The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-07-13
The Law of Love, and Whittier 1t Leads.


An intelligent writer has remarked
that "a Christian is one who is like
Christ" If this be the case, Christen-
dom still needs to be converted, for
few indeed are the Christians of this
stamp. A lady, travelling recently in
Japan, met with Buddhist Priest
who had lived some time in England.
In discussing with her the claims of
Christianity, he asserted that the pre-
cepts Of Christ were poWerless, for
"who is there" said he, "that keeps
them ?" This lady also mentions a
splendid new college in course of con-
struction, of which, one part of the
plan is ''to send certain of the young
Buddhist priests to England to learn
Sanskrit, and to fortify themselves
with arguments against Christianity"
We send our noble-hearted missiona-
ries to the heathen to teach them the
superiority of our faith; and the
Priests of heathenism are to be sent to
England 10 study the hollowness OF
our religion.
Our Saviour pronounces His bless
ings on the meek, the merciful, and
the peacemakers. He forbids the re-
sistance of evil. He says, if thine en-
emy hunger, feed him; if he thirst,
give him drink, He warns us that If
we forgive not men their tresspasses,
neither will our heavenly Father for
give us; and that if we hear his say
ings and do them not, we are building
our house upon the sand. He winds
up the whole in one comprehensive
injunction: "Ail things whatsoever ye
would that men should do to you, do
We even 80 to them"
Now, whatever may be the meaning
of these precepts, it is clear that Christ
requires his followers to be mild and
gentle, loving and forbearing, merci-
full and ever ready to forgive. How
far we have fulfilled these righteous,
requirements, let our treatment OF
semi-barbarous nations answer. Often
we have despoiled them of their lands
and driven them further and further
into the wilderness. Let the four I'M
Just and aggressive wars which we
have but recently withdrawn from,
testify. Witness also our dealings
with the Chinese-forcing a trade IN
opium upon them at the point OF the
bayonet. And yet many who do or
Justify such deeds, dare to take upon
their lips that solemn supplication:
"Forgive us our trespasses, as we for
give them that trespass against u.s."
If our heavenly Father were to take
us at our word, we'll might our little
island be sunk in the very depths OF
the sea. That there is a retributiye
Providence no Christian will deny. II
so, we can not escape the punishment
of our misdeeds. And may we not,
even now, recognize in poor distracted
Ireland the thorn in our side, sent to
rebuke US for our iniquities?
The life of our Redeemer was one
unbrokan career Of benevolence. In
the exercise of His high prerogative,
He overruled the powers of nature for
the good of man. He gave feet to the
lame, sight to the blind, speech to the
dumb, and hearing to the deaf. He
robbed the sepulchre of its prey, and
worked a miracle TO feed the multi
tude. It is true we can not follow his
example to the letter, but we are call
ed upon to act in the same spirit.
How then have we fulfilled this obi.
cation? We have ransacked the labo-
ratory of nature for new means of de-
struction, and prostrated the noblest OF
the physical sciences to purposes OF
carnage. And too often have we made
use of such deadly apparatus for'work-
ing our will upon The weak and pow
erless, thus bringing our holy religion
into contempt.
War is Satan's masterpiece. So art
fully has he covered its deformities !;
80 cleverly has he drowned the shrieks
of its victims in the roll of drums and
the bray of trumpets, that men have
almost ceased to recognize its hideous-
ness. Under the influence of this
strange delusion they have learned to
call evil good and good evil, until the
destroyer of his species has become
the man whom kings and people de-
light to honor. Be 1t so! 1.-The flre
and hammer of Gods word" are COM
petent to shiver every plea which a
Christian can advance against the ad-
vocacy of peace. Show us, ii you
can, some method of reconciling con-
traries. Show US how you can love
YOUR enemy and stab him to the heart;
how YOU can feed him while you burn
his crops, or give him drink when you
destroy his aqueducts prove to us
that vengeance is synonymous with
mercy, that cruelty is another name
for meekness, that by fire and sword
you overcome evil with good, and we
will then admit that you can carry on
war without infringing the spirit of
the gospel.
It is q hard lesson for the world to
overcome evil with good, but let us as
Christians follow our Divine Master,
put away the sword lest we perish by
it, and trust in God for protection,
while acting in obedience to His COM
mands.
"When a mans ways please the
Lord, he maketh even his enemies to
be at peace with him." Prov. xvi: Z.
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